barber



(No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. A. BARBER. AIR 0R GAS COMPRESSOR. No. 526,288.Patented Sept. 18,1894.

FIGJ,

WITNESSES.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Nd'ModeL) v H. A. BARB-ER.

AIR 0R GAS OOMPRESSOR. No. 526,288. Patented Sept. 18 1894.

. (5 H 1Q B Q g R o F WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. BARBER, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERTH. LEFEBVRE, OF SAME PLACE.

AIROR GASCO'MPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,288, datedSeptember 18, 1894.

A nmim filed June 14, i893- To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known thatI, HENRY A. BARBER, a citizen of the United States,residingat Watertown, in the county of Jefferson, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air or GasCompressors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to air or gas compressors.

The improvements consist in a new method, combination and constructionof parts which will first be described in detail, and the features ofnovelty then set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 represents an elevation and partial section of an apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of thepump.

In the drawings-A indicates the pump and P the air storage tank.

Throughout the specification where the word air is used, air, gas, orvapor or other aeriform substance is meant, and where the word water isemployed, any kind of liquid is contemplated.

Reservoir P contains both air and water, the former being contained inthe upper portion.

H is a pipe connecting the pump water inlet H preferably with the bottomof reservoir P, and F, the pump discharge communicating with thereservoir perfera'bly higher up.

jsaig a i r pipe connecting the pump chamber with the upper end of thereservoir, and I, a pipe for tapping the compressed air.

5 is the air inlet shaft of the pump, and E, a drive pulley keyedthereon for operating the pump.

C is the pump casing.

D is a centrifugal disk piston.

J is a series of preferably radial passages made in the disk, from theinner ends of which diverge focal passages B and K extending to the axisof the piston, the former communicating with the water inlet L, and thelatter with the air inlet M. I prefer to choke seen No. 477,609. on)model.)

tion of the centrifugal piston is thereby improved in efficiency. Theair inlet M may or may not be choked. i

When the air compressor is operated, the shaft S is being driven by itsdriving pulley,

and the piston D rotated. The water fed through the pipe H to the inletL is caught at that point by the centrifugal action and forced outthrough the passagesB and J into the pump casing 0. Pipe F dischargesthe fiuid back again into the reservoir.

The rapid movement and operation of the piston in pumping the liquidcauses air to err ter shaft S, and into passages K, where 1t 1sentrained with the water in the passages J,

and both air and water discharged into the pump casing. A portion of theair in the pump is carried through the water discharge pipeF intoreservoir P, and the balance through the pipe G. The air being of lessspecific gravity than the water, the latter is forced out against theouter walls of the casing, while the air takes possession of thatportion of the chamber nearer the axis of the piston, from which it istapped and led away by the pipe G. The water is used over and overagain, constantly entraining air and storing it in the upper portion ofthe reservoir, to be used for any purpose desired.

I prefer to connect the pipes F and G tangentially with the reservoir inorder to induce a circulation of water therein, and thereby aid in theseparation of the air from the water.

Now that I have exemplified my method of compressing air or gas in anapparatus which will carry it into operation, I do not wish to confinemyself to such apparatus, as I may use other devices for securing thesame end in connection with my improvements.

By my invention air can be entrained with water and forced against apressure much greater than that due to the action of centrifugal forceacting alone upon air, as the lat ter is but slightly affected bycentrifugal force owing to its being of much lighter specific gravity.

The outside of the piston is smoothly finished, and not at all in closecontact with the casin g. The contents of the casing are therefore butslightly effected by the pistons rotation. WVhat slight rotary motion ofthe water there is in the casing aids in separating therein the air fromthe water, in the central portion of which the former is dischargedthrough the air pipe G. The water seeks the outer portion of the casing.

In the continuous circulation of the practically solid Water through thepump and separator the temperature increases according to the degree ofcompression of the air. The air, if desired, may be delivered at atemperature in accordance with the action of the pump.

I claim- 1. The herein described method of compressing air whichconsists in entraining air with a given body of water under pressure andforcing the commingled air and water continuously through a returncirculating system, then separating the air from the water, and finallystoring compressed air.

2. The improvement in the art of entraining air or gas, which consistsin leading a fiuid and air within an inclosed chamber to a center ofcentrifugal action therein, there subjecting the same to centrifugalforce, then discharging the fluid from the chamber at the outer field ofsuch action and the air from the chamber at an intermediate point anddelivering both into a common reservoir, the air to be stored or heldfor use and the water to be supplied by suitable connection back to thecenter of centrifugal action.

3. The improvement described, which consists in constantly circulating abody of fluid, entraining air or gas at one point, subjecting the wholeto the action of centrifugal force, discharging the fluid at the outerfield of the centrifugal force and discharging the air or gas from anintermediate point within the outer field into a closed reservoir.

4:- The combination of a given body of water under pressure, a pump, apump chamher, a reservoir, a pipe leading from the reservoir to the pumpinlet, a discharge pipe from the pump to the reservoir, and an air orgas inlet for the pump.

5. The combination of a given body of water under pressure, a pumphaving a centrifugal piston, an air or gas inlet connected therewith, areservoir and pipes leading from the pump discharge thereto, and fromsaid reservoir to the pump inlet.

6. The combination of a pump, a pump chamber, a reservoir, a pipeconnecting the pump inlet and reservoir, a pipe connecting the pumpdischarge and reservoir, and a pipe connecting the piston chamber at anintermediate point with the reservoir.

7. The combination of a pump, a reservoir, and pipes leading from thepump inlet and connecting tangentially with the reservoir.

8. The combination of a pump, a pump chamber, a reservoir, pipes leadingfrom both the discharge opening and inlet of the pump and connectingtangentially with the reservoir, and a pipe connecting the pump chamberwith the reservoir.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY A. BARBER. Witnesses:

E. G. MOSHER, GEO. V. S. CAMP.

